Mind the gap: Five top tips to cut down the cost of your commute

Soaring fuel and rail ticket costs have made getting to work massively more expensive - putting a dent in already-stagnant pay packets.

Rail fares are set to rise by an inflation-busting average of 4.1 per cent from next year - meaning commuters will spend the first hour of every working day paying off the cost of their journey to work.

A rise in petrol prices to 140p earlier this year also hit drivers at the pumps.

Daily grind: There are ways to cut down on the cost of your commute

All this is enough to leave you hot under the collar before you have even turned your work computer on. But there are ways to reduce your costs

The idea behind this is that your company will provide you with the money to pay for an annual ticket, and you will pay back the loan each month from your salary.

The loan is tax free as long as it does not exceed £5,000, or £10,000 from next year.

Mind the gap: A yearly ticket can work out cheaper than a monthly fare

Get fit on the way to work

Cycling to work could help you avoid the stress of train timetables and you will always be guaranteed a seat.

It
is great exercise, though those pushing the pedals hard might want somewhere to shower and
change at work.

Many employers offer bike loans under 'Ride to Work' or 'Cyclescheme', which allow you to purchase cheaply a bicycle from a partner retailer - usually up to a value of £1,000.

You then repay your loan from your monthly salary. Payments are deducted gross, meaning you are not paying tax on the loan.

Once the loan is repaid, you may be given the option to purchase the bike at ‘market value’ or extend the hire period.

If you leave the company during the loan period you would either need to repay what is left or buy the bike. The estimated savings from such schemes are 20-40% of the bike's price.

You could also combine
cycling and the train for part of your journey, but remember only
fold-up bikes are allowed on trains at peak times.

Pedal power: Cycling to work will keep you fit and reduce your commuting costs

Viker Biker: A motorbike is cheaper to run than a car

Get to work on two wheels

Riding a motorbike or moped can work out cheaper than driving or getting the train to work.

You could save money on insurance and petrol costs compared with a car, and it is cheaper than a rail ticket over a year.

According to motorcycle website Geton, a Honda CBF 125 would cost £2,3420 and give you 258miles from £10 of petrol, compared with 82 miles from a used Vauxhall Corsa costing £3,650.

The tax on the motorbike would be £16 compared with £115 for the Corsa while insurance would be £721 on the motorbike, compared with £1,271 in the car.

It is also cheaper to get a motorbike licence and there are places you can park for free.

If you work In central London, the motorbike would also be free of the congestion charge.

Car Sharing

Having been well established for years in the U.S., car sharing or car pooling is growing in popularity here as social media style websites such as BlaBlaCar,Liftshare and Mylifts make it easier for drivers and passengers to get introduced.

According to recent statistics from a Ford survey, 42 per cent of people would consider sharing cars when making a journey. But at present, just two per cent of UK drivers have used formal car sharing schemes over the past 12 months.

Getting a lift or giving someone a lift can help cut the costs of petrol and ultimately the commute for both driver and passenger.

You could either share with someone from the same workplace or who works nearby.

Backseat driver: Car sharing can reduce your commuting costs, just as long as you can agree on a radio station

Flexible working

The most expensive train tickets are at peak times, with rail companies hiking fares drastically at busy, peak times.

The times vary, but peak times tend to run from 6.00am to 9.30am and then 4.30pm to 7.00pm.

It might be worth asking your employer whether they allow a flexible working arrangement where you travel in after the peak period and work until later in the day.

Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline?

Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual

We will automatically post your comment and a link to the news story to your Facebook timeline at the same time it is posted on MailOnline. To do this we will link your MailOnline account with your Facebook account. We’ll ask you to confirm this for your first post to Facebook.

You can choose on each post whether you would like it to be posted to Facebook. Your details from Facebook will be used to provide you with tailored content, marketing and ads in line with our Privacy Policy.